No one has touched on this, but brake cleaners typically should not be set on fire.
Very bad suggestion in place of starting fluid.
Generator won't start, back fires instead. Valves?
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No one has touched on this, but brake cleaners typically should not be set on fire.
Very bad suggestion in place of starting fluid.
Not at all. Both are highly flammable, ether being even more so than acetone (non-chlorinated brake cleaner). Which is probably why it's used in starting fluid. But acetone is an acceptable fuel to be used as a starting fluid as well. As far as which is which is "safer" in the shop? One certainly might argue that would be acetone (non-chlorinated brake cleaner).
I assumed we all knew that chlorinated BC is considered non-flammable, and wouldn't suffice for this use.
Don't assume
rustyzman
Well-known member
Briggs used to use a shear key on the flywheel. They would split sometimes and timing would be off a lot. No start, backfires, etc.
rustyzman
Well-known member
BTW, the fumes off burning brake cleaner (the flammable one) are particularly dangerous and can cause some serious health issues very quickly.
Given a choice, carb spray is a much safer alternative.
Given a choice, carb spray is a much safer alternative.
Wrong. In fact, burning ether and heptane could cause more health risk than burning acetone. But the health risk is small in both cases.
NOW, the flammability risk is significant in BOTH, and as I already noted, it is GREATER in starting fluid! (Heptane and ether) Non-chlorinated brake cleaner (acetone!) is actually less flammable than the former.
And to hopefully make this clear....no one suggested using CHLORINATED BRAKE CLEANER as a starting fluid! It says right on the can that it's non-flammable, which is essentially the truth.
Re: carb cleaner. Methanol, toluene and.....wait for it..... acetone. Yep, it's also an acceptable alternative, and of course is essentially just as flammable at starter fluid or brake cleaner. Bottom line? They all will work just fine, and with very, very similar flammability or health risk profiles.
This place can just be rife with wives tales and long-standing "shop dogma".
That's chlorinated, and we're NOT talking about that! Chlorinated is not flammable....that is one of the actual reasons it was produced/sold......the fact that it's "considered" non flammable.
BillK
Well-known member
Just want to add a couple of thoughts.
Please dont use starting fluid. I have seen more engines ruined by it than helped.
Some of the newer Brake Cleaners are not very flammable. I prefer carburetor cleaner such as gumout or 2+2 instead.
Please dont use starting fluid. I have seen more engines ruined by it than helped.
Some of the newer Brake Cleaners are not very flammable. I prefer carburetor cleaner such as gumout or 2+2 instead.
Miss the Pontiacs
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Lots of great suggestions. Not mentioned, but how about exhaust, is it clear.
theoldwizard1
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You have to realize that at least half the folks here don't know what a distributor is, let alone the fact that it has a cap !
rust in the eye
Well-known member
I see the OP has asked if it makes a difference backfire out exhaust or intake(yes, certainly)but hasn't mentioned which way his is back firing. Is "puff of smoke" what you are meaning as a backfire? If puff of smoke out the exhaust you have spark, fuel mix could be wonky.
If this machine ran well when "parked" I'd be looking at the carburetor once spark is confirmed.
I've seen car engines jump time when they are shut off but timing here is static and little chance a flywheel key broke on shut down or while pulling the rope.
If this machine ran well when "parked" I'd be looking at the carburetor once spark is confirmed.
I've seen car engines jump time when they are shut off but timing here is static and little chance a flywheel key broke on shut down or while pulling the rope.
Innovate1
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All this about starting fluid, brake cleaner, etc. Just squirt a bit of gas in the carb or if that's hard to do just put it in the cylinder and replace the spark plug. After a few pulls the mixture will be close enough the engine should start if all else is good. I had a brigs that had soft camshaft so some issue like that might cause valve issues. And the flywheel key might be sheared. Have you searched for common issues on that particular issue? Might give a clue.
this. a small engine with compression, timing & spark will start on gas sprayed into the carb. ether & other starting fluids can be a recipe for disaster
BurtEggley
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never had an issue using it to clean a carb or a slight squirt as a starting fluid. Do not use "Starting Fluid" because it is usually ether and very hard on the engine. There was a thread somewhere recently where someone blew their head gasket right out on a small engine using ether starting fluid, which is designed for diesel trucks.
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
By clear I meant unobstructed.
DGersic
Well-known member
Yes. Check it.
Early last year the first.. or maybe second time we lost power and needed it, it did not want to idle correctly. It was hunting a bit, so I ended up giving her a bit of choke to even it out. That time we were without power for about 3 days so it ran a bit rich for that entire time.
A week or so afterwards I tore the carb down and couldn't find anything wrong.. until I pulled what I thought was a black plastic plug which turned out to be another port. It's held in place (essentially) by the idle screw's formed plastic cup washer.
After cleaning that it was back to normal. Alas that guy was clear this time.
A week or so afterwards I tore the carb down and couldn't find anything wrong.. until I pulled what I thought was a black plastic plug which turned out to be another port. It's held in place (essentially) by the idle screw's formed plastic cup washer.
After cleaning that it was back to normal. Alas that guy was clear this time.
adsinnott1
Well-known member
Looks near identical to the carb on my ryobi inverter generator. I had the same issue with the black "jet" on top. That is the one that usually turns out to be the issue. I swear I have to clean the carb about once a year or the thing surges/ jumps around RPM even with no load. I really suggest some ether to see if you can get it to fire. At the very least fuel sprayed straight into the intake. If it ran good when put up, I really thing this is a fuel issue...Early last year the first.. or maybe second time we lost power and needed it, it did not want to idle correctly. It was hunting a bit, so I ended up giving her a bit of choke to even it out. That time we were without power for about 3 days so it ran a bit rich for that entire time.
A week or so afterwards I tore the carb down and couldn't find anything wrong.. until I pulled what I thought was a black plastic plug which turned out to be another port. It's held in place (essentially) by the idle screw's formed plastic cup washer.
After cleaning that it was back to normal. Alas that guy was clear this time.
Sounds to me, the idle port in the carb was partially blocked starving the engine resulting in it running lean. By closing the choke, you restricted the air flow bringing the mixture back into proper air:gas ratio.
This is a very typical symptom of being stored improperly with fuel remaining and breaking down in the carb.
racecougar
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Yup.
BurtEggley
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The black thing is an idle jet. It has to be firmly seated. Maybe best to spend a few hours watching this guy. https://www.youtube.com/@jcondon1/videos
finn
Well-known member
Do a compression or, preferably a leak down test.
I don’t know if that particular engine has a decompression feature built into the valve train, but it sure sounds like a valve lash issue or decompression feature issue, which may be the lash also.
Backfire through the carb leads me towards intake valve leaking, which leads to a lash issue.
I don’t know if that particular engine has a decompression feature built into the valve train, but it sure sounds like a valve lash issue or decompression feature issue, which may be the lash also.
Backfire through the carb leads me towards intake valve leaking, which leads to a lash issue.
decompression is on the exhaust valve , won't affect the intake valve
Yes. Thank you. May shortcut this, I may check the obvious first, before the great list is started. Gas....
finn
Well-known member
You don't buy a case or two every fall like I do?
There are a number of very different formulations of brake cleaner, some of which can permanently **** up your lungs if you breathe the fumes from burning it. Best not to use brake cleaner.
As someone with lung damage from an uninformed professional mechanic spraying a running engine with brake clean and wafting phosgene gas into my bay, **** you and your "old wives tales" ********. There's not one in ten car guys out there that knows not to burn chlorinated brake clean, much less why. You made a strong recommendation for "brake clean" with no mention of chlorinated or non-chlorinated. Use something that is intended to be safe around a running engine.
racecougar
Well-known member
Ooof. How are they "car guys" then?
This is how threads get locked and how you end up on the shadowy, unwritten probation list that nobody talks about but everyone knows exists.
Take notes, folks: Disagree with someone? Fine. But instead of telling them to “**** off,” try using your grown-up words—string together a thought, maybe even a reason. Wild concept, I know.
Because otherwise, you just look like a dummy. And no one takes advice from a dummy—not in life, not in a forum, not anywhere.
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